Sandy Finlayson

Sandy has specialised in advising young high growth companies and their investors for over twenty five years.

His particular areas of interest are:-

Corporate Finance: Over the years he has developed a particular interest in Corporate Finance. In 1992 he brought together the founders of Archangel Informal Investment and they have since gone on to become one of the biggest business angel syndicates in the world. Since then, he has been involved in numerous other initiatives to support the funding of high growth young companies including the formation of Seraphim Capital, the UK's first Business Angel led Enterprise Capital Fund. He has been involved in setting up five enterprise capital funds and a number of other early stage venture capital funds, some of which are based close to the famous "Silicon Roundabout".

Startups and Spin-outs: He has helped to establish numerous start-ups and spin-outs, many of which have gone on to become successful award-winning companies;

M&A: He has assisted many clients in pursuing successful "buy and build" and consolidation strategies, and has helped numerous clients to achieve successful exits;

MBO/MBI: He has undertaken a substantial number of MBO/MBI transactions, acting both for management teams and for sellers;

Corporate Governance: Advising boards and individual directors.

Sandy is the chairman of the Converge Challenge, which is a company creation competition and entrepreneurship development programme for staff, students, and recent graduates of Scottish Universities and Research Institutes aimed at creating a new generation of entrepreneurs in Scotland. Converge brings together the most ambitious and creative thinkers from academia, research & business.

He spent many years tutoring in the Law Faculty at The University of Edinburgh in Finance Taxation and Investment and in Company Law and in recent years he has been a regular contributor to Central Law Training in conferences and workshops on Company Law and Corporate Governance. Over the years he has acted as a Director and as a Company Secretary of a number of successful companies.